Feeding device.



No. 812,665, PLATBNTBD FEB. 13, 1906.

J. c. MILLER. FEEDING DEVICE,

APPLICATION FILED 001'. B, 1905.

S V. e n r O t L A UNITED STATES PATENT FFIGE.

FEEDING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

Application fil d October 2, 1905. Serial No. 280,954-

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, J ACOB O. MILLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Greenwood, in the county of Johnson and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Feeding Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to feeding devices, and has for an object to provide a device of the class embodying new and improved fea-' tures of simplicity, durability, utility, and efficiency.

A further object of the invention is to provide a feeding device having a trough and a swinging panel hinged above the trough in such position that either side of the trough may be opened for filling or feeding and with chains or other flexible cables extending across and dividing the trough into feedingsections and connecting the trough and panel and limiting the movement of the latter.

It is well known that it is highly desirable to clean out the feed-trough at practically every feeding, to do which conveniently the entire length of the trough must be open and freely accessible. It is also desirable to divide the trough into feeding-sections that the animals may not throw their feed out of the trough and waste it or may not crowd one another away from the chance to feed. It is further well known that at feeding time the,

animals crowd about the trough, so that it becomes very difiicult to move rigid partitions and when possible to move them the animals may be caught and injured. It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a feeding-trough which may be opened in its entirety upon the side without the inclosure and to further provide flexible dividers which will offer no obstruction to operation.

With these and other objects in view the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved feeding device with the panel in position for feeding. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device with the panel in position for cleaning out and filling. Fig. 3

is a transverse sectional view of the feeding device.

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all of the figures of the drawings.

The improved feeding device forming the subject-matter of this application may be used in connection with any form of animalinclosure. In the drawings but one end of the device is shown, it being understood that it may be continued to any approved length and the end broken away mounted similarly to the end shown, with a post corresponding to the post 10 shown, which may serve as part of the inclosure structure or be independent of that structure. To the posts are attached inclined braces 11 with strips 12 and 13 or other means of producing a fixed guardpanel.

Between the spaced guard-panels is fixed a trough 14 of any approved conformation, and above the trough a rock-bar 15 is journaled in the posts 10, as upon the trunnions 16. Below and parallel with the rock-bar a cleat 17 is connected, as by strips 18, forming a rigid panel hinged upon the trunnions 16.

Along the inner edge of the trough flexible members, as chains 19, are properly spaced and secured, as by staples 20, and extending transversely across the trough are secured to the panel, as by hooks 21, separably engaging staples 22.

Upon the outer side of the swinging panel a latch-bar 23 is slidably mounted, as in the keepers 24, and so proportioned that when .the panel is swung upon its trunnions the latch will engage either side of the trough.

When moved down to locking position, the latch-bar may be held in place by a suitable pin 23, extending through an opening in the bar.

When the panel is swung inwardly for cleaning and filling position, as shown in Fig. 2, the chains 19 are slack and hang idle and the latch engages the inner edge of the trough and prevents the animals from interfering with the cleaning and filling. When, however, the panel is swung outwardly to the feeding position shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the chains 19 are taut and divide the trough into feeding-sections and limit the outward movement of the panel.

For removing the device the chains 19 may be disconnected by disengaging the hooks 21 from the staples 22, which permits the panel and trough to be independently moved.

, hinged panel associated Withth trough and Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is 1. A feeding device comprising a trough, a movable panel associated with the trough and flexible members connecting the trough and panel;

2. A feeding device comprising a trough, a panel movable transversely of the trough and' flexilile members connecting the trough, and pane 3. feedingdevice comprising a trough,za'

flexible members connecting the trough and P e 4. A feeding device comprising a trou h; a horizontallyhin' edpan'el' associate'dwit the trough and flexiil'e members" connecting the trough and panel. I

5. Afeedin evi 'com risingatrough, ahorizontally iiriged pan'eP movable trans versely of the trough and; flexible members connecting the trough and panel: I

6. A feeding device comprisin' a fixed trough, a' movable panelassociate with the" trough" and? flexible member's" connecting the trough and panel and arran ed to'limit the movement of the latter an i to divide the trough into feeding-sections.

7. A feeding device comprising; a fixed trough, a hinged panel movable transversely 5 I trough, a transverse of the trough and flexible members connecting. thet'rough andp'anel and'extending transversely across and to divide the trough into feeding-sections and to limit the movement of the panel.

8-. A feeding device comprising a fixed 1panel hinged above and movable y of the trough, and flexible members extending transversely across the trough and connecting the trough and panel.

9. feeoling'qdevice comprising'a trough, a panellmovable transversely of the trough, flexible" members connecting the trough and anel, andmea'ns to secure the panel from-inward movement over the trough:

10. A feeding. device comprising a fixed trough; a panel hinged above" and movable transversely of the-trough, flexible-members" connecting the trough and panel, and alatch carried by the panel and movable" into en= gagement with either side of the trough to prevent the panel swinging'inward;

Tn testimony that I claim the foregoing" as my own I have hereto affixed my" signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

J'AQO'B C. MILLER.

Witnesses: 

